Category Archives: Sonny’s Drive-In

A recent trip to Waterloo, Ontario had me taking in lunch at Sonny’s Drive-In restaurant at 256 Weber Street North, steps from University Avenue. I suppose you are wondering how such a flashy roadside sign could draw me in for their dining experience. Well that sign looks like the very same one that I remember some 25+ years ago when late night noshes meant there was only one game in town.

Sonny’s is approximately 3 kms from the residences at the University of Waterloo and for this crowd, a burger joint open until 3 am on the weekends is a good thing.

So for purely sentimental reasons, when I saw that beautiful sign while driving through town, I had to see if Sonny’s still held the same cachet for me.

I showed up for lunch some time after 2 pm and was quite surprised at the crowd ahead of me, considering it was a Wednesday afternoon. Fish and chips seemed to be the popular choice. I ordered the typical hamburger ($3.39) and small fry ($2.69).

There is no seating in the establishment but they do have a long stand-up bar by their front window if you do want to eat in. Like the sign, it does not appear that much has changed inside either. (The place has been around for at least 40 years. But how much older than that, I really don’t know.) This experience was pure nostalgia.

The burger patty was flame-broiled on the charcoal grill like I remembered but I am not sure these patties are home-made. I loved every bit of its decadence though. My burger tastes have definitely become more sophisticated. My new favourite burger is made from O’Brien Farm’s hormone-free beef at Hintonburger back in Ottawa.

As for the fries, they were great. Cooked perfectly with a crisp outside and a soft meaty center. The small is an ample portion for me. In fact, I couldn’t finish them.

It is definitely a cautious treat nowadays, considering all the calories that go with a burger and fries. Something we didn’t think too much about back in the youthful student days.

The impulsive stop into Sonny’s Drive-In was a charming trip down memory lane.